Over the past few years, the number of new services and features offered over telephone networks has grown. These enhanced telephone networks are knows as "Advanced Intelligent Networks" (AINs). Telephone control networks conforming to AIN architecture contain intelligent subsystems for controlling switched traffic and user services such as conference calls, call waiting, call forwarding, voice announcements, voice response, keyboard response, etc. These intelligent subsystems, called "intelligent peripherals" (IP), are configured for specific regional calling services.
Multi-processor systems used as an AIN system are disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 08/792,018 by Deborah L. Acker and Thomas E. Creamer, which is assigned to International Business Machines (IBM) and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
For a conference call, the host caller instructs the intelligent peripheral to connect each conference participant. A telephone switch then establishes a separate leg of the conference by calling each participant and connecting together the telephone line for each leg. A given leg may be a local or a long distance call. Billing is based on a per minute rate for each leg of the call and the rate typically is higher than a rate for a two party call along the same leg. Thus, different rates usually apply to each leg of the conference call. It is apparent that the charges accumulate at a rapid rate when there are a number of parties connected by legs to which long distance toll charges apply. Therefore, it is desirable for one or more conference participants to be able to monitor the accumulated charges for a conference call on a real-time basis while the call is taking place. However, real-time monitoring of conference call charges is further complicated by participants joining and dropping from the call at different times.
It may be desirable to place a monetary limit on the total charges for the conference call so that the call does not exceed a budgeted amount. By limiting the call duration in this manner, forces the participants to adhere to an agenda for the call and not be verbose.
It is customary that telephone and other types of network services are billed on a periodic, e.g. monthly, basis. A bill for a given call is not issued until the end of the billing cycle in which the call occurred and then the customer has several weeks to make payment. It is advantageous to bill and receive payment for service as soon after delivery as possible. Thus it is desirable, immediately after the completion of the call, to automatically submit a bill for a particular service to a credit or debit account maintained by a third party service provider, such as a bank credit card operation.